Submarine wrecking-boat



(No Mode1.\ 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

W. R. HINSDALE.' SUBMARINE WREGKING BOAT.

N0. 575,890. Pat nted Jan. 26,1897.

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W. R. HINSDALE.

SUBMARINE WREGKING BOAT. No. 575,890. Patented Jan.'2 6,`1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

IVILLIAM R. IIINSDALE, OF ORANGE, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO CARROLL y P. BASSETT, OF SUMMIT, NEIV JERSEY.

SUBIVIARINEl WRECKING-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,890, dated January 26, 189'?.

Application filed Aprill; 1896. Serial No. 587,711. (No modell To all whom t Netty concern:

Beit known that l, WILLIAM R.H1NsnALn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Submarine IVrecking-Boats and Attachments, fully described and represented in the following specification and the with the shell in section at the center line to expose the internal fixtures and the traveling weight dragging toward the rear of the boat. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the 55 boat on line 2 2 in Fig. 1, the traveling weight not being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan taken in section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2, with the floor broken away to expose the hoisting-drum accompanying drawings, forming a part of and rolls and the ends of the boat broken 6o ro the same. away for want of room upon the sheet. Fig. The present invention relates to that class 4c is a plan of the traveling weight. Fig. 5 is 'of submarine boats in which a weight is susa transverse section of the boat-shell on line pended by a rope below the boat and provided 5 5 in Fig. 3, with the skin of a wreck and a with means for winding and unwinding the sawing attachment operating upon the same 65 I5 rope at pleasure, so as to hold the boat at any at the right-hand side and the skin of a vesdesired level above the bottoni. lleretofore sel with a dead-light at the left-hand side and in such constructions the weight has served a pneumatic plunger arranged for breaking merely as an anchor, but in the present inthe dead-light. Fig. G is a plan of the sawing vention I provide a weight having an oblong fixtures with the adjacent shell of the boat 7o 2o body, with caster-Wheels at opposite ends, so and skin of the wreck. Fig. 7 is a diagram that when the propeller of the boat is rotated Showing a hydraulic derrick and a freightthe weight may travel along the bottom and box operating con junctively with the boat to retain the boat at a uniform distance from remove freight from a wreck. the same. Such construction enables the op` A is the shell of the boat, B an air-lock upon 7 5 2 5 erator to explore the bottom from a uniform the top of the same, and B an air-lock opendistance, and prevents the concussion of the ing through the bottom of the same. boat with irregularities of the bottoni and its A/ designates a floor across the shell near entanglement with submarine vegetation. the bottom, below which the ballast-tanks are To operate the propeller, I provide an oil-enlocated, and the space above which consti- So 3o gine for regular use, as such motive agent is tutes the living-room and also containsthe more economical than electricity, butconnect machinery for propelling the boat and varithe propeller-shaft detachably with an elecous wrecking operations. tric motor, so that,it may be driven thereby O is a pilot-house, D the propeller-wheel, in emergencies. A reservoir of compressed and E a casing containing an oil-engine to ro- 85 gas is provided to start the oil-motor. An oil-engine is used to operate an electric dynamo within the boat to actuate various electric motors required in wrecking operations, and storage batteries are also provided to operate such motors in emergencies. Oil is also used for operating a pump for iilling and emptying the ballast-tan ks and for analogous purposes, the exhaust from such pump and engine being discharged within an exhausttank upon the boat, so that the air may not be fouled.

My invention includes various details of construction which will be fully understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical Section of the boat tate the propeller-shaft D. The oil-engine is connected with an oil-tankJ2.

An electric motor F is shown connected with the inner end of the propeller-shaft by a detachable coupling f. 9o

A gas-tank E is shown connected with the casing E by a pipe with cock e, and an exhaust-pipe with cock e' is shown extended from the casing to a closed exhaust-chamber G upon the top of the boat. A vent-pipe g,

containing a check-valve g', is extended from the upper part of the exhaust-chamber and is in practice connected with a Hoat g2, which is indicated in the diagram Fig. 7 with a waterline tu.

The gas in tank E would be used to start the motor in casing E, the exhaust from the ICO motor being discharged into the tank t1, from which it would be led to the surlace by the pipe o and Ylloat g2, the check-valve g' opening upwardly, so that it may prevent any access ei' water to the exhaust-chamber or oilengine if the pipe g be broken, The pipe g and its tloat maybe hauled down to the boat when the latter is traveling and used ehieily when the boat is located i'or seine time by a wreck or other submat'ine object.

An air-cqualizing pipe 7i is shown extended through the shell adjacent to the exhaustchamber and secu red to the vent-pipe o, so as to be supported bythe same float, and is provided within the boat with a cock 7i to place the living-room ol3` the boat when at. rest in communication with the atmosphere.

Ctnnpressed-air tanks J are provided. to turnish air to divers and to renovate the atmosphere for breathing, but their se itor the latter purpose is superseded by the pipe A/t when the saine can be used, as the discharge oi' the vitiated air by means ol' a pump serves to draw a supply ot the fresh air into the boat.

Tater-ballast tanks il are disposed at opposite sides and ends et the boat, and pumps I l are provided, which may be used to pump out the vitiated air and also for shitting the water in the ballast-tanks to vary the position ot` the boat in the water at pleasure or to discharge such wa ter to increase the buoyancy of the boat when desired. The suctionpipes ot' the pumps are shown connected with one olf the tanks and the discharge-pipe pro vided with branches yn and n with cocks n2 to illustrate the means t'or coiinecting the pump with other tanks. A drain-pipe o7 with cock c, connects the bottom et' the exhausttank G with one et' the ballast-tanks to relieve the cxhaust-chamber ot' condensed water.

Tater'kecls )d are shown at opposite sides olil 1 tanks Il, such keels being projected into line with the bottom ot' the shell, so as to furnish a stable support for the same when it rests upon the bottom ol' the ocean. The keels also t'urnish guides to engage saddles o upon the opposite ends ot' the traveling weight P, which suspended from the boat by ropesp. 'lhe ropes are attached to drums t) h', which are mounted upon a sha tt c, extended across an open pocket L in the bottom ol.' the boat', the drums being separated by a flange c. The ropes are extended from the drumsl over guide-rolls Z, which are set in the pocket L at the same distance apart as the saddles o, so that the weight hangs normally below the rolls. An electric motor ci is shown applied to the shal't c, and the drums I) and b may be clutched thereto by any suitable means7 so as to be rotated tegel heror iinlepeinlently.

so as to wind toward the middle at the ilange c', and thus bring both ropes upon the center line ot' the boat when the traveling weight .is hoisted agaiiist the bottom ot the saine, as

l li@ t ropes/7)' are lastened to the ends ot 'the drums i shown in Fig. i. ,lhe sai'hllcs o are then drawn into contact with the bottom olf the boat between the two heels, thus holding thc weight steady upon the bottom oli' the boat when the latter is in motion or holding the boat steadily upon the weight when at rest, as shown in Fig. T.

By winding either et' the ropes p when the weight is susigiendcd below the boat in niotion the load is transferred to the roll over which such rope passes, and the pitch ol' the boat upward or downward may thus be varied at 'pleasure by lthe wint'lingl ot the ropes.

rihc aiulock l is provided with, the usual doors U" at the top and bottom and is arranged to be iilled with water while occupied by a diver bet'ore making his exit. A pipe h with cock h1 is shown in Fig. 2 extended lroln the `interior ot' lthe boat to the top ot` the air-cimmber to l'acilitat'e the tilting ot the air-lock with water from the pipe c? when occupied by the diver, (who would already have his air-hosc suitably connected l'or hiln to leave the submarine boat,) both doors of the air-lock being closed and the water entering the bottom ol' the lock7 while the pipe o discharges the air from the top ol' the same into the living--zn artment ol the boat. When the air-lock is thus iilled with water, the diver opens Vthe upper door and passes out.

Upon the diver`s return to the air-lock the water is drawn t'rom the same by a pipe with cock if connected with a bi'illast-tank7 as shown in lfig. 2, the place of the water being supplied with air through pipo li, after which the lower door ot the air-lock maybe opened for the diver to pass into the boat. The lower oir-lock l has an iperturc in the lower door provided with cock h, by which the water maybe admitted and the pressure etpialir/.ed

with the ocean, ior the diverto pass out ot the lock. Upon his return and the closing ot' the lower door and valve o a cock hi' is opened to one oil' the ballast-tanks to discharge the water from the air-lock thereto and to eipinlf ize the pressure with that in the boat, al'ler which the operator muy open the upper door of the air-lock. )in air-supply pipe o' is shown extended into the same to supply the diveris hose with air, and an air-rci-iervoir o`J is shown connected with such pipe and with the eomirnessed-air drum .l by the reducingvalve o.

An electric motor l' is shown connected with a pump lor use in emergencies in place ol the pump driven bythe oil-enginc, andan electric dynamo i" shown connected to an oil-engine .ii by belt l, the current trom the dynamo being used :for lighting and i'or d riving the motors ret'erred to herein.

il series ot storage batteries flf" is shown at one end ot the boat and coniieeteifl to the propeller-1notor li and the innnpvmot'oi.' by conductor l. for use in emergencies.

The boat is rendered sui'iciently buoyant to lit't and carry the traveling weight by discharging the water l'rom the lnillasti-lanks,

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and the ballast may be so adjusted as to iioat the boat independently of the traveling weight, and under Asuch conditions the boat may be moved at a uniform distance from the bottom of the ocean with the traveling weight resting thereon.

To drag the traveling weight with facility, it-is provided with caster-brackets p, having broad bearing-wheels p2 with flanges px, which enable the wheels to follow the lead of the boat, and the bottom may thus be explored with the boat movin g at a regulated distance above the same by inspection through the windows C' upon various parts of the boat.

The boat is especially designed for submarine wrecking, and Fig. 5 shows means for penetrating the skin of a wreck to grapple the same or to remove the cargo. For grappling the same I provide a pneumatic plunger to break through the dead-lights upon the wreck. The plunger q is projected through a stufng-box upon the shell of the boat and operated by a piston within a pneumatic cylinder Q, the valve-chest of the cylinder being connected by pipe r with a compressed-air tank J, and the chest being provided with a suitable valve to reverse the motion of the plunger by means of a hand-lever r2, the eX- haust discharging into the living-room of the boat. The air-pressure operates within the valve-chest and the plunger is actuated by moving the hand-lever back and forth to reverse the motions of the plunger, or its inotion is stopped by shifting the handle to its mid-position, as is common in actuating ordinary slide-valves. By adjusting the boat with the plunger in proximity to the dead-light, as shown in Fig. 5, the latter may be broken by the blows of the plunger and grappling-hooks inserted through such dead-lights.

For cutting through the skin of a vessel to gain access to the cargo I provide a circular saw S, mounted in a swiveling bracket S' upon a bearing S2 on the outer side of the boat, and connect the saw by gears s, shaft s', and cog-wheels with an electric motor t', adapted to rotate the saw. The swiveling bracket S is provided with journals to support the saw-mandrel parallel with the side of the boat, and the saw is made of disk form, so that its edge projects outwardly at right angles from the side of the boat and thus intersects any object which may be pressed or drawn toward the boat. IVith this arrangement the saw is adapted to cut a slit in such object at the point of contact.

Electromagnets T are shown mounted upon the ends of spindles T' at opposite sides of the saw, which spindles are projected through bearings U upon the shell of the boat and provided inside with screw-threads and handwheels u to draw the magnets toward the shell. Electric conductors @d are shown eX-V tended from the inner ends of the spindles T', and would be insulated and properly extended through the spindles to operate upon the coils of the magnets T, the conductors being connected with the dynamo J or batteries F.

IVhen the boat is in proximity to the iron or steel hull of a wreck, the hand-wheels u may be slackeued and the spindles pushed outward until the magnets touch the iron hull, to which they would become attached by magnetic attraction, and the boat, iioating in the water, may then be drawn toward the hull of the vessel to force the sawv through the skin Y of the same by screwing the hand-wheels upon the spindles T. The saw-bracket S' is shown in Figs. 5 and (l adjusted horizontally, so that the saw may make a vertical cut in the skin Y. Then such cutis completed, the current would be cut olf from the magnets, the boat pushed away from the skin V, and then lowered suflciently for the magnets to reengage the skin at an adjacent point to forni another cut. Horizontal cuts are made by turning the bracket S' above or below the spindle s', which may be done from the inside of the boat by providing suitable means or by a diver operating upon the outside of the boat through the agency of the bolts fu. (Shown in Figs. 5 and 6.)

In the diagram shown in Fig. 7 the bottom of the ocean is designated X, with part of a hull V resting upon the same and its skin broken through to reach the cargo, consisting of barrels c3. A hydraulic wrecking-crane is erected adjacent to the hull, with a freighttank d set adjacent to the crane. The tank has a hollow pan-shaped foot d/ at the lower end to engage the soft bottom of the ocean and a door (Z2 in one side below the top to admit the freight.

By making the door d2 in the side of the freight-tank below the top the tank may be used to receive buoyant articles, which when inserted through the doorway would rise to the top of the tank and be retained therein before the door was closed and during the introduction of other articles. To facilitate such use of the tank, it is provided with the foot d at one end, adapted to hold it upright upon the ocean-bottom.

\Vhen loaded, the freight-tank would be lifted to a barge or float by a hoist-rope attached to an eye cl3 upon the top of the tank. To drain he water from the freight-tank when it is lifted above the surface of the ocean, vcocks d6 are provided at the .top and bottom, and the tanks may thus be greatly lightened before they are lifted. from the water.

The crane consists of a vertical cylinder IV with ram YV', having a boom W2 at the top, upon which a movable carriage W3 is mounted. A rope IV* is provided to adjust the carriage upon the boom and to turn the boom around with the ram, as indicated by dotted lines at the left side of the cylinder. The

cylinder XV is attached to a broad hollow foot Q3', adapted to engage the soft bottom of the ocean, and which would in practice be steadied or weighted by stones or bars of pig-iron IOO IIO

.l tracce .fr/3. 'lhe cylinder connected by pipea and three-way cock ci* with the pressure-pipe from the pump I inside the boat, and the cock is also connected by an exhaustpipe .fri with one el the tanks H inside the boat, to which the suction-pipe 'i of thepump is connected. The cock fui' may be turned to admit fluid under pressure and raise the ram lV', or to discharge the Iluid te the tank ll to lower the ram, as is common in hydraulic cranes.

The cooperation of the hydraulic crane with the pump inside the boat secures the use of power to lift and handle heavy loads with great facility adjacent to a wreck.

The oilengine K may be used to drive an air-compressor, if required.

The boat would be provided with an electric search-light s at the bow of the boat, which is shown connected with the storage batteries ll". Only a single dotted line F2 designates the circuit from the storage batteries, as such dotted line may properly represent a cable containing two conductors to complete the circuit.

From the above description it will be uuderstood that the boat maybe propelled and operated with great economy by oil-engines for workin g the propeller, the ballast-pu1nps, and dynamo, reserving the storage batteries for furnishing an electric power in emergencies. The provision of the traveliin.;` weight with caster-wheels enables the boat to travel at a uniform distance from the bottom, and to thus explore the bottom without the unsteady motion which is produced by contact with the same. The progress of the boat adjacent to the betteln is thus made much more rapid and comfortable than where the wheels are placed upon the boat to support the same directly upon the bottom.

The provision of the double water-keels permits the water ballast to operate more et'- :li'ectively upon opposite sides of the beat, as it is farther from the center than that which is contained in tanks within the shell, while the keels furnish the boat with a more steady base whenever it is rested directly upon the betteln. The circular saw and pneumatic plunger furnish means for operating with great facility upon a wreck, while the crane and freight-tank enable the operators to handle and remove with great rapidity the objects which may be found upon the wreck.

The boat may, il desired, be provided with a terpedostube and used for placing and discharging torpedoes in the usual manner.

Ilydroplanes may be affixed to the side of the boat to be operated from the inside and inclined either upward or downward, il it should become necessary to disconnect the hoist-ropes from the traveling weight, in case the latter is fouled with obstructions, or when used as a torpedo-boat.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim herein isl. The combination, with a submarine boat, of a traveling weight provided with wheels .marine boat, of a traveling weight provided with wheels to run upon the bottoni ol.' the ocean, and connected with the boat by two hoist-ropes having their ends forked and connected each at two points with the weight as described, and the boat being ijirovided with mechanism for winding the ropes and holding the weight at an adjusted distance [from the bottom of the boat, as and for the pur' pose set forth.

3. The combination, with a buoyant submarine boat, of a movable or travelingweight attached to the boat and provided with caster-wheels, to support the weight movahly upon the ocean-bottom, subsi'aiitiallyas here in set forth.

4i. The combination, with asulnnarine boat having cylindrical body, of a movable or traveling weight connected with the boat by two hoist-ropes, and provided with concave saddles adagted to lit the bottom of the boat and` support the same, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A submarine boat having cylindrical body, with a hollow longitudinal keel zulapted to carry water ballast, at each sideol the center line, the keels also servil'ig to steady the boat when resting upon the bottom, substaw tially as herein set forth.

(i. The sulnnarine boat having' cylindrical. body, with a hollowlongitudinal keel adapted to carry water ballast, at each. side ofthe eenter line, a lol'lgitudinal water-tank within the shell above each olf the said keels and cornmunieation between each of the said tanks and the keel below it, as and l'or the purpose set forth.

7. rlhe combination, with a sulnnarineheal` having cylindrical body, with a hollow keel projected downwardly at eachside ol. the center, of a traveling weight connected with the boat by two hoist-ropes, and provided with concave saddles of suitable length to [it endwise between the kcels and support ihe boat, as and for the purpose set forth.

rllhe combination,withasubmarineboat, ofjournais upon its outerside, with. a mandrel supported in said journz'tls parallel to the side of the boat, a disk saw secured upon such mandrel with its edge projected. outwardly :from the boat, and means .tor rotating the saw at pleasure, substarnially as herein set forth.

t). A submarine boathavinga circular saw supported in bearings upon its outer side, means for rotating the saw, and means adjacent to the saw for grappling a wreck and pressing the saw inte the same, substantiall)` as set forth.

lO. Asubmarinebeat having a circular saw IGC IIC

supported in bearings upon its outer side, means for rotating the saw, and electro1nagnets supported adjustably, adjacent to the saw, for magnetically grappling an iron wreck and pressing the saw thereinto, substantially as herein set forth.

1 1. A submarine boat having a circular saw supported in bearings upon its outerside,with means for adjusting the saw in various positions,a motor within the boat and gearing connecting the saw through the shell of the boat, with said motor, substantially as set forth.

12. In a submarine boat, the combination, with the shell and an engine for generating power within the same, of an exhaust-tank attached to the shell, 'with connection to the exhaust-pipe of the engine, and a hose eX- tended upward from such exhaust-tank, and provided with a iioat to support the end upon the water, substantially as herein set forth.

13. In a submarine boat, the combination, with the shell and an engine for generating power within the same, of an exhaust-tank attached to the shell, with connection to the exhaust-pipe of the engine, an exhaust-hose extended upward from such exhaust-tank, with a float to support the end upon the water, and said hose being provided with a checkvalve to prevent the accidental entrance of water, substantially as set forth.

1i. In a submarine boat, the combination, with the shell and an engine for generating power within the same, of an exhaust-tank attached to the shell, with connection to the exhaust-pipe of the engine, an exhaust-hose extended upward from such exhausttank, with a iioat to support the end upon the water, and a Ventilating-hose extended upward from the shell with the exhaust-hose, with its end supported by the same float, as and for the purpose set forth.

15. In a submarine boat, the combination, with the shell and an engine for generating power within the same, of an exhaust-tank attached to the shell, with connection to the exhaust-pipe of the engine, a hose extended upward from such exhaust-tank to the surface of the water, a drainage-pipe connecting the lower part of the tank with a ballast-tank, and a pump to discharge the excess of water. from such ballast-tank, the whole arranged and operated substantially as set forth.

1G. The combination, with a submarine boat, of an oblong weight connected near its opposite ends with two hoist-ropes, supporting-rolls for such ropes at different distances from the bow of the boat, and means for windin g the ropes independently and throwing the whole or any desired portion of the said weight upon one of the rolls, to vary the inclination of the boat, substantially as herein set forth.

17. The combination, with a submarine boat, of an oblong weight connected near its opposite ends with two hoist-ropes, supporting-rolls in the bottom of the boat for such ropes, and two drums upon the same shaft with central dividing-flange and having the ropes secured to their outer ends so as to wind toward such flange, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM R. HINSDALE.

Witnesses:

L. LEE, THOMAS S. CRANE. 

